Neighbors hear about transitional housing project in Richmond Beach

by Tom Petersen

Meghan Altimore of Hopelink and Marcia McLaughlin of the Richmond Beach Congregational Church dispelled the apprehensions of most of the 60 people who were at the January meeting of the RBCA, which was about the church's plan to develop a corner of its acreage as transitional, low-cost housing for (otherwise) homeless families. The church currently has one house that has served 14 different families over a period of 10 years and would like to build a facility with 24 units.

Hopelink is a 41 year-old organization that helps families in crisis with emergency housing and teaches people the life skills such that they can work their way out of predicaments and avoid them in the future. Altimore explained in great detail that the families who would be in the new housing would be normal, middle class families in crises usually not of their own making: loss of a job during the Great Recession, loss of a home because of the mortgage collapse, death or abandonment by the breadwinning spouse. 

Altimore further stressed that the few families who would qualify for residence in a Richmond Beach facility -- out of 1000 applicants -- would all pass rigorous background checks for drug use, felonies, and histories of violence. Only the clean, sober, humane, and law-abiding would be allowed. Their guests and associates would have to meet the same high standards.

Hopelink would have a monitor on site at all times, and McLaughlin pointed out the church's necessary interest in looking over Hopelink's shoulder. 

Asked whether the neighborhood could count on the two organizations to maintain standards over the long term, McLaughlin and Altimore pointed out that the church has been there for 100 years, Hopelink for 41, and the contract they are working out will be for 70 years. 

Hopelink runs several facilities like the one proposed for Richmond Beach and has had little or no trouble, and Ms Altimore said that in those neighborhoods, the Hopelink families ARE the "good" neighbors. McLaughlin went on to point out that while poverty should not be equated with crime, it is a fact that Richmond Beach has both numerous low-cost "Section 8" houses and the fewest instances of havoc of any neighborhood in Shoreline.

The transitional housing development, since it will be operated by a non-profit, will be exempt from property taxes, but other parts of the social safety net will ease the burden of a sudden influx of 30 to 50 students to the local schools. Also, Altimore reported that other Hopelink housing, including one facility on view property in Kenmore and another adjacent to the mansions of Medina, have had no appreciable effect on property values. The intersection of 15th Avenue NW and Richmond Beach Road would see about two dozen more cars during commute hour-- scarcely enough to make a difference, but possibly inspiration for the city to finally make long-needed improvements there.

The RBCC encourages people with additional questions or concerns to attend either of two "Homelessness 101" seminars at the church, Wednesdays February 29 and March 7, at 7:30.

Richmond Beach Congregational Church is located at 1512 NW 195th at Richmond Beach Road. The Richmond Beach Community Association holds its meetings in the lower level meeting room of the church.